Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-01

| S # Jrded are SUPERIOR in usefuln' SIS. This
conclusto is obvious from the comp Iri-
son OF the number of routes, mileage of
Sc vice, and rate Of cost per mile On
the 80 b of June, 1885, the number Of
routes stood at II 81, aggregsting 232,-
222 miles in Length, and requiring annual
J travel of SO OF, 32l miles, st the cost Of
80 cents per mile. On the first day Of
| the current fiscal year the routes num-
bered 1888, an increase of 1897; their
total length was 296 $50 miles, an addi-
ton of 1914; their aggregate annual
mileage Of travel was s., 1873 OFT, being
2,105, 756 miles of greater service; and
the rate OF cost was 921 cents per mile,
gain roundly of mills to the mile of
travel in decreased cost.
The mail messenger service, being the
transportation which the department must
provide between distant railway stations,
steamboat landings 6nd postoffices, has
been carefully reviewed and some i'm
proVements secured. The rate Of cost at
the close of the last year was 1929 54S 81,
and there had been an increase Of l63
routes over the previous year and de-
| crease of S., 81 SO in the annual rate.
The txopndi'ure IN total was SS25, 338.l7,
being $40 sol SO less than the cost in the
year ending June so, 1885. A balance Of
S74 66l 80 OF the appropriation remains
unexpeDded.
| THE RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE.
At the close of the fiscal year there
were 9l3 lines Of railway postCfices, an
increase Of forty-tWo, extending over
ll6 500 II miles Of railroad, an increase
of 1886 go; the clerks in the service num-
Der 1851, an increase of 278; the total
| dali hvJ rta
95S So miles, an increase Of
service performed by clerks in
crews wss 107, o67, 643, gain 143, 1888
over the preceding year. Thes clerks
handled 1884 $50 SIS pieces Of ordinary
mail matter; sos, l6S 400 more than in the
previous year.
| Unhappily the casualties to clerks in
their perilous service were more numer-
Gus and distressing. Five were killed by
accidents while on duty, forty-flve were
| seriously and seventy-two slightly in
jared. Fifty were disabled to such an
extent that their places were filed for a
| time by acting clerks at the Departments
cost. again urge that some provision
be made for these servants of the govern
ment who are seriously MANNED or per-
| msnently disabled in s service which puts
them to such risks OF life and limb. II the
promise we're hopeful, the argument
might be well enlarged upon. The man
who shall bring this deserving subject so
effectively to the favor Of Congress as to
secure the enactment of suitable Iegisla-
ton will earn for his b-nevolence and
service the grateful homage of faithful
body OF public servants and q monument
in the hearts of all right-feeling people.
TEE FOREIGN MAIL SERVICE
has been satisfactorily conducted during
the past year. The use of all vessels,
whether foreign or domestic, departing
from our ports for other countries, has
been regularly rendered to the Depart
ment, and the most fay orable opportu-
mites for frequent and rapid Transports
ton afforded by ocean carriers have
atlantic service, where many vessels of
rival lires compete for patronage, the
swiftest have been chosen for employ
ment from week TO week in accordance
with the settled p olicy of the Department
The service so secured is une9ualed bY
that of any other country; contrasting
consplcuously to our advantage with the
service inward from Great Britain, which
less efficiency by adherence to
the system Of contracting with
particular lines for annual subsidies. The
rates paid by the Uaited States are highly
remunerative to the principal companies
whose swift ships secure the
heaviest mails; probably yielding greater
profit, proportional to space, weight and
expense, than anything transported tx-
cept jewels and precious metals; if, in
deed, they are to be excepted.
THE FINANCIAL EXHIBIT.
The psst four years constitute an in |
terestiDg epoch il the financial history of |
the postal service. The fiscal year 1882 |
closed with cash surplus Of about, 81, =
40C. 900; and the year 1883 increased the
amount to nearly 100000. With the |
single exception of the year 1865, there |
had been so annual deficiency In the |
revenues OF the service to meet it's ex-
penditules for thirty years, sometimes of |
large, at others Of small sums Upon the |
concurrence Of two years Of surplus, the
rate Of letter pos tage was
reduced from lhree to two cents,
thus striking from the revenue one-thlrd |
of its principal supply. THIS change 10 TX
effect on the lst Of DC ODER, 1888, andiwas
operative curing out nine months
OF the fiscal year 1884 It's effect was
marked, necessarily, aud at the end of the
year the historic deficiency was again re-
stored 70 the ledger in the sum of So, $780,
coo. The increase in the employment o.
the service expected from cnespenipg of
rates did not appear in the following
year; but the revenue continued
to diminish and the expenses t. in
crease 80 that the 30th OF June, 1855
found balance Of nearly 1000, 900
against The service to BE- betrayed 0y nr
general Treasury. This result was due,
beyond doubt, to the general business de,
preston pr vailipg from the au'umu o.
1888 in the fasncial circles OF the coun-
'ry, and the inference seems fairly indi-
lated that the volume of the mails and
he employment Of the postal service d -
BEND less upon the differences in the
ates of postage, when ALREADY low, thu n
lpon the condl Ion Of general affairs, by
which the service becomes more or
ess desirable TO business men
Che later results sdd to the apparent cor
'ectDess Of this deduction.
Notwithstanding toe already large de Fl
'iency, the act of 1885, which took effect
N the first day Of the fiscal year then ap